What is dyspraxia?
Dyspraxia, also known as Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), is a neurodivergent condition that affects how the brain plans and coordinates movement. It often shows up in balance, coordination, and organisational skills. It's a difference in how the brain works, not a reflection of intelligence or effort. People with dyspraxia often have plenty of ideas, but it can take more conscious effort to turn those ideas into physical action as smoothly or quickly as they'd like.
According to the NHS, dyspraxia is something you're born with, and for most people it's a lifelong condition that carries on into adulthood. Some people with dyspraxia describe themselves as neurodivergent, a term that simply reflects the range of different ways people's brains work rather than treating those differences as something wrong.
In childhood
Dyspraxia often shows up as differences in physical coordination, things like tricky shoelaces, distinctive handwriting, or finding it harder to catch a ball. It can also come through in PE, food technology, or woodwork, where lessons call for precise movement.
In adulthood
The picture often shifts. Coordination differences can stick around, but organisation, planning, and time management tend to become the bigger day to day factors, things like driving, cooking, or juggling several tasks at once. Many adults were never identified as children and only recognise the traits later in life, often after years of being labelled "clumsy" rather than understood.
Common traits of dyspraxia
Differences in hand-eye coordination and spatial awareness
Fine motor tasks like handwriting or using tools taking more effort
Balance or physical coordination feeling harder during sports or exercise
Finding it harder to organise thoughts, plan tasks, or manage time
Multitasking taking more conscious effort, like carrying something while walking and talking
Speech that can become jumbled or hesitant when processing thoughts quickly
Seeking formal dyspraxia diagnosis
Our tests and quizzes can give
you an indication that you may have dyspraxia, and we can also point you in the
right direction for a formal diagnosis, too. Being formally diagnosed can be a
giant step towards learning about yourself, in your acceptance of your
neurodiversity, and in seeking further support. This is why we’ve partnered
with organisations that can give you a formal developmental coordination
disorder diagnosis; they go beyond simply putting a name to your symptoms,
offering strategies and insights that help you move forward with
confidence.
Our diagnosis partners’ thorough
processes help you gain crucial clarity. From here, we can help embed support,
such as workplace adjustments for your dyspraxia, into your life. Exceptional
Individuals can guide you towards not only a formal diagnosis, but a more
dyspraxia-friendly life, too.
Do you have any traits of dyspraxia?
Our dyspraxia quiz helps you get a clearer picture of whether you have traits of dyspraxia. There are a number of questions throughout the quiz asking about coordination, organisation, and other everyday tasks. It's worth being clear from the outset that the quiz is there to highlight traits, not to diagnose dyspraxia.
What this quiz is based on: Dyspraxia doesn't have one single standardised self-report scale in the way some other conditions do. Our questions are drawn from commonly recognised indicators of dyspraxia used in clinical and occupational therapy checklists. This is a screening tool, not a diagnostic instrument.
What this quiz can, and can't, tell you
✓ What it can do
Give you a clearer picture of the traits you're experiencing, often the hardest part of the process to start alone.
✕ What it can't do
Confirm or rule out dyspraxia. Only a qualified professional, such as an occupational therapist or specialist assessor, can do that through a full assessment.
Take the quiz...
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Other tests you might find useful
Dyspraxia often occurs alongside other neurodivergent traits. Take a look at our related tests.
What workplace adjustments can be made for those with dyspraxia?
The kinds of adjustments that help will vary between each individual with dyspraxia, there's no one size fits all approach. However, these are some of the most common workplace adjustments made for those with dyspraxia in our experience:
- Minimising handwritten tasks, and using speech to text or similar software where helpful
- Breaking tasks down into smaller, clearly demonstrated steps
- Allowing extra time to build accuracy on a task before increasing speed expectations
- Adapting or avoiding tasks that rely heavily on fine motor skills
- Support with organisation and planning for tasks with deadlines
More on dyspraxia...
Want to know more about dyspraxia, or see how we help people with dyspraxia find work. Check out the below links...
How much does a formal dyspraxia diagnosis cost privately?
Costs vary depending on the provider and the depth of assessment needed, but typical private dyspraxia assessments in the UK cost between £700 and £900. Dyspraxia is usually assessed by an occupational therapist, paediatrician, or specialist assessor, rather than through the same routes used for conditions like autism or ADHD.
Dyspraxia Test FAQs
Common questions about our free dyspraxia test
Do I have dyspraxia?
Getting started
There's no single sign that confirms dyspraxia, traits vary from person to person. Common experiences include finding coordination or balance harder, finding it tricky to stay organised, or having been called "clumsy" for as long as you can remember. If several of these feel familiar, our free dyspraxia screening test can help you explore this further, though only a formal assessment can confirm a diagnosis.
Is dyspraxia a disability?
Diagnosis
Yes. Dyspraxia (also known as Developmental Coordination Disorder, or DCD) is recognised as a disability under the UK Equality Act 2010, since it's a lifelong condition that can have a substantial, long term effect on everyday activities. This means people with dyspraxia are legally protected from discrimination and are entitled to reasonable adjustments at work. It's worth noting dyspraxia isn't classed as a "learning disability" in the strict clinical sense, it's a developmental and motor coordination difference, though it's often grouped alongside conditions like dyslexia and dyscalculia as a specific learning difficulty (SpLD) affecting day to day functioning. Read more in our full guide: Is Dyspraxia a Disability?
How does the dyspraxia test work?
About the test
Enter your name, then answer each question honestly based on your everyday experience with coordination, organisation, and related tasks. At the end of the quiz, enter your email address to receive your results.
Can this test diagnose dyspraxia?
About the test
No. This is a screening tool, not a diagnosis. It can highlight traits associated with dyspraxia, but only a qualified professional, such as an occupational therapist or specialist assessor, can confirm or rule it out through a full assessment.
Who is this dyspraxia test for?
Getting started
This test is suitable for adults who think they may have traits of dyspraxia, such as differences with coordination, balance, or organisation. It can help you gain insight into which traits you may be experiencing and where you might want support.
Is this test suitable for children?
About the test
No, this test is designed for adults.
What happens if I score highly on the test?
Diagnosis
We'd recommend speaking to your GP or looking into a specialist assessment. Exceptional Individuals can also connect you with trusted diagnosis partners and Workplace Needs Assessment support if you'd like help along the way.